Just catchin' up.....

(Before y'all get into this, I want to say that part of this has been setting in draft for about 3 months or more, so, that is why it may sound a little more strange than usual.   hahaha)

Good morning y'all!!!!!!      Do y'all ever feel like time just flies on by, or that maybe you've just missed a week or two or even a month or two or three?    Well, I don't know about y'all, but I just feel like this year is flying by!!!!!!     I really do.     It seems like the busier I am the faster it flies on by.    But, busy is good.     Busy is very good.     I have gotten busy and have neglected my blog again.     I really hate when that happens.     I have so many projects that I want to share and just some fun stuff in the mix also.      But.....I'm gonna try to share all that I can this go around and maybe get a little caught up on some of it.

These first pics are of the cards that we made in March for our Card Ministry at Church.    I think they are fun and beautiful, as usual.

This goose one was a really nice masculine card.   We all know how hard it is to come up with pretty masculine cards.    I really love the wood grain embossing on the background and then the dots on the little green piece.    This one was a fun card to make.

The kites was also a very fun card.    I think most of us have memories of flying kites as kids and this one brought back memories of trying to fly kites in the woodsy area that I grew up in.    I could fly a kite really good, to the top of tree, and that was where it stayed till the wind blew it down, by then, it was time for a new kite to just get blown into the tree tops, again.    And to think I actually thought flying a kite was fun.    hahaha     So, if I tell someone to "go fly a a kite", it's with those memories that I say it.    hahaha   All but impossible, but, still fun to try anyway.

I really like this one also.    It was a fun card.     It is of the kookaburra.    It's a very colorful bird and we all enjoyed coloring this one.

This next pic here is of a meal that a friend and I had here while back at Burdett's Tea Room here in town, back in February.     Every table in the tea room has a hand crocheted table cloth and it is very warm and inviting.   It's such a special place to catch up with a friend or meet a new friend and have a nice meal.   Lots to look at while waiting for your food to arrive or to just enjoy looking afterward.   This was a very delicious meal.   I love to try the different scones and I usually take my scone home with me for an afternoon snack with a cup of coffee.   And as  usual, I took my scone home.     It was a strawberry and basil scone.     I'm just being honest, it was not my fav part of the meal for sure.     I think I got the scone that had most of the basil in it.   I'm happy I at least tried it, but I won't be getting this one again.    The rest of the meal was scrumptious.      That is some of the best home made pimento cheese salad I have ever eaten.    Delicious!!!!    The broccoli salad was just divine, as was the Waldorf salad.    The best part of the meal is always the friends that I dined with.      That's always the best part of any meal anyway.

The funniest thing about the basil scone was when I texted my friend and told her that I did not enjoy the basil scone.    She said she really enjoyed hers.   (That's why I think mine was one that just had a lot of basil in it.)     We started texting each other using the word "basil" as our new "it" letter word.    Hahaha, go figure!    You know, like..."what the basil did you say?"  or, "well, that's just basil", or...."oh basil!", or "you watch out now, I'll wash your mouth out with basil."    We went on all night long, or should I say, she did.    My cell phone would go off and I would look at it and it would be another basil joke.    I laughed all night long.    She should be a comedian!!!     My sweet friend, the Jesus in you has made me a better person!!! 

So, now on to more beautiful and fun cards.     This is a fun card.      It is really sparkly and shimmery.     It doesn't show up really well in the pic though.      My friend that does the Card Ministry at church let me borrow her die for this and I cut several card fronts and put them aside for further use.     I seen someone making a card using a used dryer sheet and I wanted to try one too.      It really is a neat card.

The dryer sheet was covered with adhesive on the back to stick down to the card front.     Then it was covered with really fine glitter and the excess knocked off and then the frilly card front glued down.

You can see the glittery shimmer on the card and I must say that it really is a very pretty card and I will be making more.

The final touch to the card was placing a few flat backed jewels on top of some of the little flowers on the card front.    Overall, I really love this card a bunch and can't wait to make a few more of them.

I just used this card recently for a bridal shower at church and told the bride to be that is had a used dryer sheet in it and she couldn't believe it.    No one could believe it was dryer sheet.     It looks so nice and shimmery in person, that it's really hard to tell that it is a dryer sheet.    So, now that you seen that card, the only thing left to say about that is, "Ladies, save those used dryer sheets!"     You know how we can't seem to part with anything.    Well, sooner or later someone will come up with a craft project or a card project using whatever it is that we have a problem tossing.    That's ok.    I think it's actually pretty great.

This is a cross box that I made.   I got the image from the Silhouette library.   I think it is gorgeous.   It is on a pad of paper that is 9x12.    I added some red jewels to it and then in the very middle, I had some micro beads that I put down and then used glossy accents to hold them in place and to adhere them together to make it look like one stone.   I love how it turned out.    It will be a fair entry.   

See, this is the center of the box, and I just love it!

This is another tag that I made for a special bride, earlier in the year.   I used my postage stamp die and my heart rosette die and other round rosettes to make this tag.    I embossed the whole front of the card and that made it really hard for the rosettes to stick to it like they would have, had I not gotten so embossing powder happy.    But I do love learning from my mistakes, though.    I do love the way it turned out.

This was another happy little accident.     I was gonna cut her name from vinyl and put it on the front of the envelope that I had made to put the tag in.     Well, I got the letters cut, but the vinyl would NOT stick to the card stock.   Go figure!  So, I put them down long enough to use them as a mask, and I put color around the letters and made her name pop like that.   As you can see, the envelope was purple and I used a darker purple to ink over the name, and I must say, I really LOVE how it turned out.    Then I took the little flat back red stones and just scatter glued them over the envelope and finished it off with a big sheer bow.     That was one of the most beautiful tags and envelope  that I have made.    Some of the tags I make just have more stamping on the back, others I make with the gift card sized holder on the back.

Ok, so I wanted to make some stencils.    I went to Wal Mart and dug around till I found something that I thought would work.    I found these plastic dividers and knew they would do what I wanted, so I got my goodies and headed home, happily.    If you click on the pic, it should bring up a larger pic that will allow you to see the product and the settings I used on my Silhouette.

This is what I ended up with.    And they work as well as any of the purchased stencils have.   I love them.    They have gotten a lot of use too.     When I was making a lot of bookmarks for church, these got used and used and used and I'm always pulling them out for other stuff.    I will be making more.    It was easy, fun and cheap.    You know I'm all over that!!!!!   Lots of y'all are too.   hehehe

Well, that's about it for today.     This is a blog post that I have had sitting in draft form for more than 3 months, so I pulled it out and dusted it off and just added some more projects to it.

This is the Fourth of July weekend.     The day set aside each year for us, in the United States of America to celebrate our freedom and all that we hold dear.    Freedom is the one thing that all humans on the face of the planet desire to have.   We all have that in common.    Freedom is a God given desire.    The Scripture tells us that God is no respecter of persons.     He doesn't care if you are a head of state, a president, a pauper, or a nobody,we ALL need freedom from sin!!!    The president, or head of state, or ruler is no better in God's eyes than the pauper or the prisoner.     While we as humans desire freedom; and there have been hundreds of thousands of men and women over the many centuries have died for others to have freedom; true freedom comes ONLY from Christ Jesus, as Savior and Lord of our lives!!!     We can be in chains and still know the freedom that Christ gives.    We can be behind bars and still know the freedom that Christ gives.     We can even have our lives taken from us at the hands of evil people and then be in the presence of the One and Only Freedom Giver, Jesus Christ. 

Romans 14:8 says this:  "for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord's."   

This is what Paul said.    He knew first hand at having his personal freedom taken from him.    But he had determined in his heart, that NO MATTER WHAT, live or die, he would be living for Christ or he would die for Christ.    In Philippians he said something to this effect:   To live would be for Christ, to die would be gain, because he would be with Christ.  

No matter what kind of bondage you are in.    The bondage of sin is the one that you have the ability to change.    Not in your own power and strength, but thru what Jesus Christ has already done for you.    You just need to claim the victory that is yours by accepting Christ as your personal Savior.     That will break the chains of bondage on your heart.     That is where true freedom comes from!!!!    Christ is for everyone!!!!!!     He has never tuned anyone seeking Him away and He never will!!!!!!  

So as we celebrate Freedom as a nation this weekend, let us also be reminded of the greater Freedom that is ours, if we have a personal relationship with Christ.    If we don't already have that relationship with Him, then this is the perfect time to start your walk with Christ and walk in the Freedom that only Christ gives.

Thank you Jesus, for the the freedom that You give to all people who call on Your Name!!!!     Let us remember You this weekend while we are remembering the freedom that this great nation fought so hard for.    May we fight equally hard, within ourselves, for the freedom that You alone can give to those of us who desire it.    I pray that You will put the desire and need, for You, into each and every heart that does not already have the freedom that You so freely give.    Thank You Jesus!   Amen and Amen

I hope and pray that y'all seen something here today that you liked.   If you did, tell someone.    Share it with others.    I also love it when you leave me a note.

Ladybug, we hope to see this weekend sometime.   Sweetpea loves you and looks forward to another visit real soon.

Everyone, enjoy your weekend, stay safe, and thank a Veteran or a Soldier for the freedom we enjoy as a nation.   Thank Jesus for the freedom from the bondage of sin that we enjoy as Christ's Followers.

Always remember that God loves y'all, and so do I.    hugs, Patty

The End of June, Questions and Projects

So, here it is the end of June.     What??????      Where did June go????      I guess it slipped on by just like January thru May did.    I really can't say that I wasn't busy, because I was.     I worked on several different craft projects.     I have a few pics to share of some of the items I have worked on recently.     Got a few more projects in the works.     I love staying busy and having fun in my craft room.

Oh yeah, I've still got my Herman Munster boot.     Don't have any idea how long I'll be wearing that contraption, and don't really care, if it means no surgery.     So, I'll be kicking around with it for as long as necessary.     One thing I have learned.     It is harder walking up hill in my Herman boot, that it is walking down hill.      And, it's not necessarily the best thing to chase a spider in.    Because, if said spider decides to run in the toe of said boot, it's not easy to get said boot off really quickly.     (Don't ask!)     So, I don't like spiders.     Did I say I don't like spiders?      So, as long as I am sporting this highly fashionable boot, I will be calling on my "honey" to stomp any spiders I see.    hahahaha       Oh, he has come to my rescue many, many times over the last, soon to be 36 years.     He is my hero!!!!!

I always talk to y'all from the place that I am at when I make a blog post.     I just try to share with y'all in a very real way.     I try to share with y'all what God is showing me in my own life.     I also know that what ever I am dealing with, I believe others are dealing with the same issues. 

With that said:    Where do you belong?     To whom do you belong?     Do you try to fit in?     Those are difficult questions with equally difficult answers.    We spend most of our lives wanting to fit in somewhere; trying to be a part of something.      Maybe a special club or a group that we have been trying to be a part of.     I have never met a person in my life that hasn't wanted to be a part of something, belong to something or belong to someone.     I have met self proclaimed loners.     Even they have a desire to be a part of something.    Most organizations have hoops to jump through and secret handshakes and a list longer than a giraffes neck of all the pre-requisites.     The sad thing is this, even after we become a part of the Kingdom of God, we still try to fit in to all these groups, clubs or organizations.    Why  is that?     Why do we have such a need to find our place and fit in and be a part of something temporary?     Why are we not focused on the bigger picture and being focused on what we are a part of, through the blood and resurrection of Jesus Christ?     So what, (so stinkin' what), if I don't measure up in the eyes of some people!    My husband says, they are people that "have their nose out of joint".     You know the people.    You have seen those people, more than likely you have encountered those people.    You know exactly what I'm talking about.   The ones who have a permanently upturned nose, because they look as if they smell something bad.    The sad thing is, the harder they try to exclude us, the harder we sometimes try to break their barrier.     Why?    Why?    Why have I spent so much of my time trying to find validation in groups, organizations, or individuals that wouldn't spare a cup of water for me if my life depended on it?     Why have I tried so hard to find self worth in the worldly?     I have asked myself that over and over only to come up without an answer.  

The fact is this.   The day I accepted Christ as my Savior, that is the day I became a part of the Heavenly Kingdom of God!!!!!!     That is day that all the worldly stuff should have taken a back seat. I say should have, simply because it didn't.   I was still looking for belonging in the temporal.    I had not realized yet, that I was a part of something that no one could ever exclude me from.    Jesus is the One that opened the door for me.    Jesus is One that welcomed me into His kingdom.     Jesus is the One that made it possible, for a sinner such as I, to be a part of all that God had given to Him.    Jesus is the One that died on the cross for me, then arose from the grave and thus opened the door to His Father's Kingdom, to sinners such as I.

So, after a few years of still looking for groups and cliques and organizations, God finally showed me that my self worth came from Him and ONLY Him and not from this world.     My self value is based on what Jesus Christ thinks of me!  Not on what the world thinks of me and all the flaws and faults and short comings that they can see.     But on what Jesus Christ alone thinks of me.    There is not a group or an organization on the face of the planet that is equal to the Kingdom of Heaven!!!!  

Jesus Christ alone loves me enough to provide a way for me to have a relationship with Him!!!    Who does that?????    Has anyone ever provided a way for you to have a relationship with them, and no strings attached?     Have they????     I haven't walked in anyone's shoes other than my own, but I dare say, that no one has done for you what Christ has done for you.     Jesus loves me right where I am and He helps me to get past where I was and directs me to better.     The day Christ came into my life, I was in the pits of hell.     No other person would meet me right where I was and provide a way out.     He did!!!!    Jesus did!!!!    Jesus pulled me from the pits of hell and has been cleaning me up ever since.     That will soon be 38 years ago.     Have I reached a state of perfection?    Absolutely NOT!!!!!!    I can confess that I am not where I was 38 years ago; but I am not where I want to be either.    I struggle every day to do better, for the cause of Christ!     I struggle every day to do better, for the sake of Christ!     I still have sin in my life; I recognize that, and I seek God on a daily basis to help me make it through another day without being an embarrassment to my Lord and Savior.    I struggle with my temper; I struggle with the words from my mouth; I struggle with fear; I struggle with anger; I struggle my thoughts and I struggle with sooooo much more.     I am not proud to admit that, not at all.     I would love for people to look at me and think, "Wow, she really has it all together", but that's not the case.     I don't!     And I must tell you, that when my friends have actually told me that; I am very quick to tell them otherwise!!!     Oh no, not me, I don't have anything all together!!!!!!      God is so good!!!!!    Praise God, He is NOT done with me!!!!!

I said all of that to say this to you; that if at any point while you was reading what I have written, you said to yourself, "that reminds me of me"; I want to tell you that God is not done with you either!!!!    If you desire better, He will help you achieve better!      All the clubs, groups and organizations of this life will never give you what God can give you!     Eternity with Him!!!!!    God will never ask us to do something that will go against His standard for our lives.      He just won't!!!    God will always provide a way out of every situation that the enemy of this world throws at us.     Unfortunately for me, I haven't always chosen God's way out of some of the situations I have been in, even recently.     I have learned from some of my mistakes.     At the end of the day, I am still a citizen of the Kingdom of Heaven!     At the end of the day, I still belong to God, through the love of Jesus Christ, in and for my life!     At the end of the day, Jesus made the way for me and NO ONE else!!!   And, at the end of the day, I don't have to try to fit in, Jesus made me acceptable when He said, "It is finished."  I fit in because of Him!    SO DO YOU!!!!!!!    If you are His, you already fit in!    If you are not His yet, it's not to late.   Just ask Him to make Himself real to you in your life and I promise you, HE WILL!!!!!    Confess to Him that you are a sinner and that you WANT to change and that He is the change you need.     Repent of your sins.   That means acknowledging your former ways and regretting what you have done or haven't done.    Then ask Him to fill your heart and soul with Himself and to lead, guide and direct you the rest of the days of your life.    Friends......it AIN'T easy!!!!!     It's not!     There are lots of people that will be wanting to see you fall and will be happy when you do.    There will probably be people in your former life that you may need to walk away from.  There was for me.    But, there will be more people that will be rooting you on.     There will be people that will be pulling you along, and there will be people that will be praying for you.

So..........I ask you these questions again.    Where do you belong?   (In the Kingdom of God!)     To whom do you belong?   (God!)     Do you try to fit in?    (You don't have to try to fit in in the Kingdom of God, if you know Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, You belong, you already fit in!)    I hope you have answers now that maybe you didn't have before you started reading this.    Just know that God loves you more than you can ever begin to imagine and your self esteem and freedom comes from Him alone!!!!

So, what about some of those projects?     Ok, lets do it!

Ok, so the first picture is of my dragonfly clips I made.   I cut two dragonflies and layered them and dotted them with glitter glue and then adhered them to the mini clothes pins.    They are so cute!!!!!    I just love them!

These are some post in note holders I made.   They turned out really nice and I liked them a lot.

This is what they look like open.   It is really easy to replace the post it note pad when it is used up.

This is an altered picture frame.    I went to a mystery craft event at the UT Extension Office and this was one of the crafts.   To paint the frame how ever we wanted too.     I got my frame really muddled looking at the event, but I done some more on it when I home and got it looking like I had wanted and then I put one of my stamped and die cut images in the frame and decorated it with some jewels.   I like how it turned out, a lot.

I had a bridal shower to go to at church and I made the bride a tag as a keepsake.   That is what I have started doing and they really love the keepsake.   This is the front of it.

This is the back of the keepsake tag.

This was just a stamped image that I water-colored.    It's not great, but I was kinda happy with it.   

This is a tag that I made for a friend.    I was sooooo happy with the way it turned out.     I just love when the final image looks like the initial image in my head.    This did, and I have to say it really is beautiful.

This is another tag that I made for another friend, and as with the other one, this one came out like I had hoped it would.     It looks just like the image in my mind and it too, is beautiful.

 This is an artist trading card of a half face.    I pencil drew it and then sprayed a fixative on it and then sprayed different colors of Lindsay's Stamp Gang on it and then stamped it with a wonderful sentiment.

This is my state flower artist trading card.      I stamped the image and then used my water color pencils to color it.    After coloring it, I just sprayed it with water and swirled it around and let it dry.    I then colored the flower with clear Wink of Stella, which gives it a wonderful shimmer and then I stamped the word Iris on it.    I really enjoyed doing this atc.

This final project was My favorite scripture artist trading card.    The paper itself was a gift from a friend at Christmas.    She had made the paper by doing the shaving cream with different spots of ink and dipping your paper on the colored shaving cream.    She sent me a stack of these beautiful papers and I knew it was for a special project, I just didn't know what the project would be.    I stamped one of my fave Bible verses and then added a feather trimmed with a gold thread and a ruby stone.     I also put a cross on it.   I think it turned out really great.

So, there you have it some of what has kept me busy for the last little bit.    I hope and pray that y'all enjoyed seeing some of my projects.    None of it is really fancy, but I had a fun with all of it and look forward to more fun in the near future, maybe tomorrow.    hahaha

Ladybug, Sweetpea loves you a lot and looks forward to visiting again!  

As I leave y'all this evening, I ask y'all these questions again:     Where do you belong?     To whom do you belong?     Do you try to fit in?      I hope you have clear answers to those questions and that you know that God desires for you to spend the rest of your life in His watch care and then enjoy eternity in His presence.     God loves you!!!    Have a great night and a wonderful, safe 4th of July weekend coming up this weekend.    For those of us that live in the United States of America, let's remember what that day actually means.    I pray, that we as a nation would put God first in everything we do.    In order to do that, we must give God first place in our individual, every day lives.    I have a friend that says, "make good choices".     I pray that we will make good choices in every aspect of our lives.

God loves y'all and so do I.    hugs, Patty

Where have I been??????

What a question to ask, huh?    Well, I asked myself that too, only to come up with no answer.    It just seems like at times, we have to just get still and calm some of the noise of life that goes on around us and life seems to be getting louder every day.     So, I reckon I just went internal for a while.   Certainly not meaning to ignore my blog or those of y'all who are faithful readers and followers.    So, I do apologize for my absence, but, I really needed the time away from it.    I hope to be back with fresh new insight and fun crafts and more stories and just all that you have seen here in the past, only better, maybe.    The funny thing is, I have a blog post that has been sitting in "draft form" for almost 2 months and I have looked at it many times and just haven't been able to hit the "publish" button.     I will go ahead and post it at some point, but I just felt the need to do a totally new post today instead.  

One thing I would like to remind myself and all of y'all from time to time, is to remember those around us that are hurting.    It just seems the list is growing exponentially on a daily basis.    Friends have lost loved ones; friends are dealing with sickness, surgery and recovery; a sweet cousin just getting over major surgery; another special cousin just getting back to work after major surgery; friends have lost jobs; friends have lost homes due to fire; all the unrest going on across the nation and world..............and the list goes on and on.    I also have to say that there is a lot of good stuff going on in friends lives also.    New babies are always that special gift from God and when there is twins, that is a double blessing.     So congrats, to a long distance friend that is enjoying the double blessing of Grandma!    One of my cousins just became a wonderful Grandmother and I'm so thrilled for her!    Another special friend becoming a Grandma thru her daughter being a foster parent.    Friends with new jobs.    Friends making plans for new change coming their way.     Congratulations to all for the great things going on!!!!!     Praise God!!!!!      Folks, if you are not on the list in any way, if you have nothing heavy going on in your circumstance right now, thank God for that blessing, because that's what it is, a blessing.     On the other hand, if you are in one of these circumstances or anything that I didn't mention, I challenge you to just hang on.    God knows about your circumstance.     He is going before you even as I type and making the way for your circumstance to change for the better.     But, until "better" gets here, remember our friend Paul, and all his writings that was inspired directly by God.

In the midst of our circumstance or our season at hand, you and I can be content and have joy and peace while going thru it.  That is what Philippians 4:13, "I can do all things thru Christ who strengthens me" is all about.   It's not about having bigger, better anything, or moving on up to bigger house or better job or nicer car or fancier clothes; but being satisfied and joy filled and contented with what we have in the circumstance or season of our lives, by leaning on what Jesus Christ has done for you and I; who, by the way, is much bigger than any situation or circumstance you or I can ever be in. When looking at this verse, and all scripture in reality, we must look at in the context in which it was written.   Paul was speaking about adverse times when he spoke these profound words.  He wasn't speaking of the good times; moving on up the corporate ladder and finding his joy because he was on a higher rung today than he was yesterday; and being able to wave down at his buddies as he left them choking on his smoke as he speed-ed on up that ladder.  Not hardly, at all!!!!!!   Paul was coming from a place of having been in chains and behind bars and little food and being led from here to there by people who had no regards for him, all for the sake of Christ.    He had found the key to contentment.   And that was leaning in on his source of strength, Jesus Christ!!!!   My friend, if you don't have joy and peace and contentment in your life, let me just say this, the only place you will ever find it is in the same place Paul found it, Jesus Christ!     The world just can't offer what it knows nothing about.     Unrest, tension, and problems can only breed unrest, tension and problems!     When we desire better for ourselves, we must go directly to the source of "better", and that is Jesus Christ!!!!     So, y'all, lets go to the source, Jesus Christ, and lift all those around us to the Throne of mercy and grace and thank God for all the blessings and ask Him to help those going through difficult circumstances to just hang on, because God is already in our tomorrow going ahead of each one of us working our days out!     Thank you Father God for all the blessings!!!!!     Thank you Father God for knowing all about each one of us, and loving us anyway!!!!!!    Thank you Father God for your mercy and grace that you so freely give!!!!!!      I look forward to seeing how God is going to work in the tests of our lives and turn those tests into "test"imonies, all for HIS glory!!!!!     Praise God and Halleluiah!!!!

While I have been absent, I have still been doing things, crafty wise, that is.    There's always something going on.     I've worked on an ongoing project of making bookmarks for church and that has slowed down for now.     It has been a most pleasurable time while making them and I loved every second of it.   God is so good and He has blessed my efforts and for that, I am so very thankful.    Some of us at church has been working on some craft projects that we will be selling in what we are calling, "The Country Store", first annual fundraiser.    It has been a great time of getting together and crafting.   Lots of fun and laughter and fellowship has been had by all who was blessed to be a part of it.    We all have been working on projects at home too.    I can't wait to see what all we come up with to put in The Country Store.   We pray for God's blessings on the efforts that have been put forth for His glory!  

In the midst of all of this fun and happy stuff going on, I have been dealing with, or should I say, not dealing with very well, an issue with my foot.    I have got achilles tendonitis in the back of my heel on my left foot, making it almost impossible to walk.    Ibuprofen and rice ice bags have been my best friends for the past six weeks.    I finally got in to see the podiatrist this week and walked out with something on my foot that I have lovingly called a "Herman Munster" cast off shoe.     I really hope he doesn't come looking for it, because I will NOT let him have it back till I'm done with it.   hahahaha    

I have had a great learning experience with this so called "Herman" boot.     The Dr actually told me that I could take the boot off when I am setting down.     Ok, I can do that, right?     Well, yes I can, easy enough.    But, I am not to be walking without it.    I have been in enough pain that I don't WANT to be walking with it.    So, I take my boot off while setting down.     Guess what, my bladder does not know anything about this Herman boot, nor does it care, not even a little bit.     So when mother nature calls, I commence to putting my boot on while talking to myself and encouraging myself that I can get this boot on and make the call of nature in time.     I feel like Houdini getting in and out of this contraption, really!     So the lesson learned is that my bladder does NOT know that it's relief depends solely on me getting this boot on, quickly!    So, while sitting down, I keep said boot on, because it IS impossible to put it on quickly enough to satisfy my finicky bladder.    hahaha     Ok, I'm sure that wasn't what you wanted to hear about today, so for that I apologize.   Just wanted to share a little bit of my "I Love Lucy" moments.    Sometimes I feel like I am in a sit com, with no viewers (thank God) hahahaha!    So, I just wanted to share a funny moment of my day.    In all seriousness, I would appreciate prayers on this matter, because if the boot does not help, surgery will be in the works, and I really do not want that.     So I appreciate your prayers.    God is good and I believe that He will take care of this.

Anyway, I have a pic or two to share with you before I call it a night and put my boot to bed.   hahahaha

This is some of the bookmarks that I have made with a fish and starfish theme.

Some more of the sand dollar bookmarks.   I love the the sand dollars, they make me happy.

This is a "flip flop" album and journal.   It is made with 5 sheets of 12 x 12 heavy cardstock with lots of scoring and folding and then cutting pieces of designer card stocks and papers.    It is an awesome album to make and so much fun!

This is the same one, just the other side, decorated with lots of beautiful designer cardstock and papers.   I just love this and may make some more later on.

Anyway, I just wanted to show you that I have been crafting and I do have a lot more to share later on.   Keep your eyes peeled, because I will be back with some special shares that I can't wait to show y'all.

Ladybug, Sweetpea loves you and hopes to get back up for a visit real soon.

Well, I think I have kept y'all here just about long enough for now.     I hope y'all have read and seen something here today that has tickled your funny bone and I hope and pray that y'all will come back soon for another visit.    In the mean time, always remember that God loves y'all  and so do I.     hugs, Patty

Visiting and a Card

Good morning y'all!     Is it cool in your neighborhood this morning?     In my neck of the woods, I seen birds with sweaters on this morning!!!!!    For real!!!    NOT!!!     hahahaha      No, not really, but they could have used one as cool as it was.     I had gotten comfortable with the mid 60's and sometimes lower 70's.     And then yesterday, it never made it out of the 40's and then steadily dropped and by the time I got up this morning, it was 20*.     I just know all the new tender vegetation got frost bit.     But, that's just part of the cycle, isn't it.    It surely isn't anything new and it won't be the last time either.     As a matter of fact, some are predicting a snow on March 31st.    Don't know if that will happen or not, but I guess we will find out.  It is fun to look at the almanac and see if the weather plays out like the almanac says.     That used to be the only way farmers could tell what to do in advance, was by checking the almanac.    My Grandfathers could go out and look at the night sky and plan what they would do as far as crops was concerned.     I always found that interesting.     At some of the souvenir places you used to be able to buy a "weather rock".     If it was wet, it was raining.   If it was white, it was snowing.    If it was hot, the sun was shining.    If it was gone, a tornado had just come by.     hahaha   That's a pretty simple way of predicting the weather, but it is always accurate.      There was also a "weather string" you could buy too.     It was basically the same as the rock except it had another example on it.    If the grass string was moving about, the wind was blowing.     hahahaha      Oh well, for centuries people have been trying to pin point predict what the weather is gonna do.      My philosophy on that is, wait just a minute and you won't have to predict it, it will make itself known.      Whether cold, or hot, wet, or dry, or what ever the weather is, we will deal it and go on, just like people have been doing since the beginning of time.    Any way, I hope y'all have sock on your toes this morning, otherwise they may get cold.

I was blessed to get to go to my Mom's for a short visit this week.     We had a real good time.    It's always good to spend time with her.    I usually get to see a brother or two and a few friends.    And this time was no different.     There's always lots of laughter taking place.     On Tuesday afternoon one of my sisters-in-law came to visit with us for a bit.     Then later on Tuesday night another one of my sisters-in-law came for a visit and lots more laughs and fun was had.    On Wednesday, we met a great family friend at Slappyz Restaurant and I had my fav.     If you have read my blog much at all, and read about any of the other trips I have taken to my Mother's, you know I love frog legs and fried green tomatoes!      That is a necessity for me when I go up there.    My mother used to cook fried frog legs all the time.     My brothers would go gigging and then they would clean the frog legs and she would cook them and then we would gobble them down!!!!      It is a delicacy to lots of people.     Now, I have to say, about the fried green tomatoes, I came up with a recipe last year that can't be beat.     I have to say that mine are the best I have ever eaten.      But Slappyz is a close 3rd with my Mom's being 2nd and hers was #1 until I found this recipe last year.     My Mom had a fish sandwich with fries, which has gobs of fish strips on it and she doesn't eat it like a sandwich, she just eats it like a fish dinner and eating the bun as bread.    And that is her fav meal at Slappyz.      My friend got shrimp and fried green tomatoes and she really enjoyed it.     After our meal was over we all came back to Mom's place and a couple of my brothers came and that was all it took to bring the roof down with laughter!!!!!!      It so amazing how easy it is to find something to laugh about when you are with family and good friends.     Reminiscing of the days gone by will always do it.   That night we went to Mom's church.   They was holding Revival this week and we got to go and that was an awesome time.     Seeing a full house for revival was such a good sight to see.     Also seeing people I had gone to school with.     It really is funny how everyone but yourself changes.     hahaha     You know what I mean.     I know you do.      You have a picture of someone in your head form 35 - 40 years ago, and you know exactly who they are when you see them.      Oh well, time has a way of catching up with every one us.     Some people try to cover the years with product, other don't.     I'm one of the one's that don't, any more.     I am a low maintenance type person.     My hair is the color God made it.     I guess I figure if He seen fit to put a lot of gray/white in my hair, who am I to cover His handy-work.      I used to pay good money to have highlights put in my hair and now God does it for free, can't beat that!!!

I didn't get to see Mom on or near her birthday, so I had to sit on her card for a long time before I could post it for y'all to see.     It is a triangle card.     Like it's name implies, it has three sides and each one is decorated really pretty.     It was one of my most favorite cards of all time to make.     I just love it.    I hope y'all do to.

This is the card laid flat out.   Basically, it's three squares, scored corner to corner.    You take three more squares that is 1/4 of an inch smaller and cut it from one corner to the other corner and place those on the scored base, centered, and then glue the squares together as shown and the decorate all the places shown.   That's a really poor description of how it's put together, but hopefully you can look at it and figure it out.

Side 1. I used all kinds of bits and bobs while decorating this card.    I used different sizes of flat back pearls and flowers and tags.   

I know humming birds are a favorite of Mom's and I had saved that one just for her card.

I made the little "happy birthday" sign and used liquid pearls to look like little rivets.

Side 2.    I made the little tag at the top that is held on with a really tiny clothes pen.    Then the medallion in the center has a flamingo in it.    The little pink flower was from a die that a friend let me borrow and then you see all the flat back pearls and little pink feathers down in the right hand corner.

I really love this medallion.    It has little sequins in it, kind of a shaker type thingie.

The little flowers and feathers.     I really like the feathers a lot.

The feathers came in a set of three different size dies.    This is the smallest die of the three.    It's about an inch or so.   They have been very useful to add to my collection.    I inked them a little as well as everything else.   

The tag at the top with a bit of sheer ribbon tied in it. 

Side 3.  I love how colorful you can make this card.    And it almost seems as if each side was planned in the color scheme and I can assure it was not.    I just started pulling stuff out of my "stuff" drawer, this looks good, oh, and this looks good.....that was my process.   No plan at all.

That butterfly is beautiful.   I love it.    I get most of the embellies at Mighty  Dollar.   The most fav store I love to visit when I go to my Mom's.   We always make a special trip just so I can rack up on some "good stuff".     And I racked up on 2 bags of "good stuff" on this visit.     hehehe

This is another of the small flowers in blue.   I did use my McGill tools on this one.   The pink one on one of the other sides, I left flat.

I love this burlap flower.    I misted it lightly with a bronze color glimmer mist.   They are so fun to work with.     I didn't want to put much coloring on the flower, I wanted it to be neutral in color.      For the closure on the card, I used a tiny bit of velcro on each piece and it works like a dream.    The sticky on the back of this velcro sticks like stink, gggg, so I made sure to use a small a piece as possible.     Otherwise, it would torn the card up the first time I closed it and opened it.     I used my envelope maker to make the perfect envelope for it and then tied it with a piece of sheer ribbon and also attached one of the bookmarks I have been making.     Mom loved her card, and I was thrilled!!!    Yay!!!    I look forward to another visit here in the next 2 or 3 weeks and she does too.

Back just after the last snow had gotten off the ground I was running to the garage for something and I always keep an eye on the back yard.    Someone in the years past tossed out some crocus bulbs and other short blooming flowers like those that bloom early.   So, I always keep my eyes peeled for the first signs of those sweet little pops of color and low and behold, my little crocus was in bloom and boy was it a beauty!!!!!    I ran in and got my cell phone and took a pic of it and hoped to get more in a day or two when another bud would be open.     Drats, I believe a rabbit snacked on it, because it started looking pretty sickly, so I didn't get any more shots of it.    I hope you enjoy looking at what I did get though.

If you will look right down at the base of the flowers, you can see another little pop of purple getting ready to spring up.

I really love the colors in this little flower.     Of course purple makes me happy!!  I just wanted to go and throw some glitter on it.    hahaha

Just bling this little flower up some.     Oh, not really, it's beautiful enough by itself, don't you think?

As I leave this afternoon, I leave you with this scripture:   2 Corinthians 5:7 For we walk by faith, not sight.

The Message Bible says it like this: 2 Corinthians 5:7 It's what we trust in but don't yet see that keeps us going.

We live in a day and age in which what we do see with our human eyes doesn't make much sense any more.    Paul said that as long as we are in this tent; or our earthly body, we groan.    I just have to say "Amen and Amen" to what Paul said.     As long as we are in these tents and groaning, we will have to live by faith.    Our goal can not be seen with human eyes, as long as we are in these "tents" that Paul called our earthly bodies.    But......one of these days, when we are strolling the streets of gold, we will be walking by sight then, and ohhhh the sights that we will behold.     If you know Jesus Christ as your Savior and Lord, I just pray that you will continue to walk by faith, just trusting each step you take to the Lord.     I pray that we will all be reaching for the hand of someone that hasn't started to walk by faith yet and share with them why we walk by faith and live a life that is pleasing to God thru Jesus Christ.   

This Bible verse comes from what is called the Resurrection Hope.     This hope is what sustained Paul while he was still alive and writing and encouraging other believers along the journey of life which leads to the end goal: Heaven.     Next Sunday is Easter Sunday.     Without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior, we would have no hope; Resurrection or otherwise.     So, I am so thankful that while it may look as if we live in a day and time in which there is no hope, let me tell you, my friend, my hope and your hope rests ONLY in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ!      Without that, there is no hope!      With Christ Jesus, we have HOPE and an abundance of it!!!!!!      The cross is empty!    The stone is rolled away and the tomb is empty!     There's no grave stone!!!      There's no death certificate anywhere, because death could not keep Christ Jesus in the grave!!!     He is at the right hand of God the Father, just waiting for the Father to say, "Go get 'em, bring my children home"!     On that day, in the twinkling of an eye, it will happen and from that day on we will be living by sight and what a glorious sight it will be!     Friends, I hope you are walking by faith and not by sight.     Live your life based on the Resurrection Hope and you will walk by sight, and what a glorious sight, in glory land.    Not my promise, but the promise of God, the Father thru Jesus Christ our Lord and Savior.

Look forward to seeing you Easter Sunday, Ladybug!!!    Sweetpea loves you!

I hope you seen or read something here you liked today.     If you did, I would love for you to leave me a note.    I pray for God's blessings upon each one who visits this page.    I pray that He makes Himself very real to you.      Hope to see you back here real soon with another fun project, until that time, just remember that God loves y'all and so do I.   
hugs, Patty

Some Tags and Weather Photos

Good evening Y'all!     I hope you are having a wonderful pre-Spring evening.     The time change has a wonderful way of helping lift the Winter doldrums, doesn't it?    Although the sun hasn't shown today in my neck of the woods, just looking out at 6:00 pm and seeing daylight just makes the soul feel good.    When the sun does shine, it will have longer to do so.   Yay!!!!    I am so thrilled.

The snow in our yards has finally melted away.    Hopefully, sometime soon, all the dirty snow piles around town will be melted too.    There are so many pot holes around town, in parking lots and on the roads that you could loose one of these little Smart Cars in some of them!    Goodness gracious, I went out town yesterday afternoon, after my hubby went to work, to run a couple of errands and I was startled at some of the parking lots.     I drove thru a parking lot and where there used to be those speed bump humps, they had been graded completely off by the snow removal crews.     Some of the parking lots had pot holes that had been patched at the end of last year.   Guess what, those patches had been pulled up and graded away by the snow crews.    I may have to decide whether I want to shop in those places or not.    If there isn't good parking, it won't be good walking either and I really don't need to risk another fall.    The best that I can say right now, is Praise the Lord, the worst of the cold, snowy, bad weather is behind us.    It may snow again and we may have ice again, but with the time of year it is, it won't last long now.     So that's a good sigh of relief.

I realized I hadn't posted on my blog in  a few days.    I had been busy with some projects that I can't wait to share with y'all.    I took all the bad weather days and just had some fun in my craft room.    While I was going thru my projects and pics to post, I found a bunch of tags and weather pictures that I wanted to share y'all.

I have been making tags, lots of tags, and lots of tags.   hahaha     And lots of tags.     Got lots more tags to make.      I take pics of several at a time and I have a few to show.

This one is a tag I made specifically for a friend.   I know she loved it and is enjoying it.    Of course it has purple in it and y'all know how I love purple!   Yay!!

This one and the next one are two that I made at Christmas and forgot to get them posted.   I really love the simplicity of these two tags.

This is some of the other tags I have made.   I really love the two toned ones.   They make me happy!    I don't even try to put matching colors together and I think they look great.   Just inks and stamps and few stickers makes for some beautiful tags.

Some more purple on purple on purple and others.     Yay!!!    

A couple of more purple ones and then I do have a cover up to share with you.   On the second one from the right hand side; the teal and yellow one; I made a big mess while stamping the sandals.    I got ink on the stamp block and of course I touched it down on the tag and then there was a big ole' honkin' black blob on it and I was ready to smack myself, but I knew it would hurt, so instead, I decide to try and fix it.    

I put my thinking cap on and I came up with a coverup.   The last time I was up for a visit with my Mom, we went to Mighty Dollar.    They have a pretty sweet craft area and I always dive in feet first.    I had picked up a couple of packages of K and Co two layer stickers.    They were sea shells and seahorses and stuff like that in varying sizes.    So, I found some of the shells and cut one in half and it covered the black blob up perfectly.    I put the other half on the card and also another shell on the card and I was thrilled I saved that tag.    I then went on to put them on several of the other tags.    So, most of the time, there really is a good save for most of the disasters that we have.  

I also have some weather photos that I wanted to share.

This just isn't supposed to happen in the south!    But it did!   And not just once but twice and maybe even more times that I didn't photograph.    This was on February 3rd, 2015.

This one was on February 23rd, 2015.   This is our digital thermometer.   It usually registers a couple degrees warmer than the other one.    The other one had gotten frozen up and was not working at the time I took this photo.    Yes, you see it right, 61* inside.  We turn the heat down at night and then back up in the morning when I get up.

These pics was taken on March 3rd, 2015.    I was singing "I'm Dreaming Of a White Christmas" while trudging out thru the snow.    I had gotten my new snow boots so I could get out and take pics.    Wish I could have put them all up.    It was fun.

The shrubbery just looks so cold, but it did have a nice blanket of snow on it.    There was places that the snow was up to my knees almost.    It doesn't look that deep around the house, but around back it was deeper.

Well, if your are tired, I will offer you a very soft seat.    It was about 6 inches in that chair and it was 8 or 10 inches around the chair.    Anyway, I got to get out and have a little fun in the snow.   

As I leave you this evening, I leave you with this favorite verse of many and I love it too.

Jeremiah 29:11  For I know the plans I have for you,” declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.

Jeremiah 29:11   (The Message)  I know what I’m doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for.  

These are words that God inspired Jeremiah to write to those in exile.    Letting them know that they were not forgotten by God.   I know I am pulling this verse out of context.    With that said, let me ask this.    What are your plans for the future?    Tomorrow, next week, next year, eternity?    Do you know what the future looks like?    Do you have a day planner all planned out for the next 20, 30 years or more?    I know some people that do.    They have their life planned and written in ink already.     Planning on their plan.     Well, for me, even if I pencil in something on the calendar for tomorrow or next week, a lot of the time, I have to erase "my" plans and ask God what His plans for me are.    Do we include God in our day to day plans, or do we just wait till the big stuff comes up and then ask Him for His help?    God is constantly reminding me that He cares about every minute of every day of my life.   He wants to be included in all that I do.    Why is that?    Because He already knows everything that's gonna take place.    I don't know what my tomorrow is gonna look like.   But I know the One that will bring me into my tomorrow, and no matter what tomorrow brings, God will see me thru it.  There's nothing that will catch God off guard.    Although it could certainly catch me off guard and turn my life upside down, I am rest assured that God has a purpose and a prosperous plan for my life.     I love The Message rendering of this verse.    God knows what He's doing.    He doesn't need my help.     He's already got my life planned out and He's already in my future.   I love that!     Just knowing that although I may be in the midst of some of the storms of life, God knows what the end result will be, because my future and my hope is in Him, through Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior!    My desire and prayer for you is that your future and hope is in Him too!!

Hey Ladybug!   Sweetpea loves you lots and hope to see you soon! 

God bless y'all with a great night of refreshing rest.    Hope to see you back here real soon.    God loves y'all and so do I!    hugs, Patty